sovbooks Chapter 80 Transformation Plan
Chapter 80 Transformation Plan
"This is exactly the feeling I wanted, it's perfect."
Giorgio Morodel put down the tuning knob, his sunglasses still on, his tone filled with satisfaction.
After a brief impromptu rehearsal, Zeke, Keith, and Anton worked together to break down, vary, and speed up the core melody of "Sweet Dreams."
The result far exceeded expectations, creating a suspenseful, tense atmosphere with the unique sense of decadence characteristic of electronic music, perfectly matching the oppressive escape atmosphere of the film.
After establishing the melody framework, Morodel's meticulous attention to timbre and rhythm was on full display. He repeatedly fiddled with various equipment, making extensive use of sequencers, Moog synthesizers, and ARP series synthesizers, fine-tuning the waveforms, compression, and reverb bit by bit, polishing each timbre to its ultimate perfection.
Time slipped by quietly, and the sky outside the window gradually darkened.
Keith and Anton, full of enthusiasm, took the initiative to invite them:
"George, we really have to thank you. How about we go out for dinner? Just something light and then we can go for a walk around town. You need to relax."
"I don't go to nightclubs or parties."
Amanda looked surprised: "Your songs are all over America now, every disco is playing them, haven't you ever seen anyone dance to your music?"
"I'm too busy," Morodel said flatly, without looking up, "always in the studio, and I never touch cocaine."
After saying that, he bent down to operate the mixing console again, once again entering a focused working state.
Not wanting to disturb them any further, the group sincerely thanked them and quietly left the studio.
"I'll get off here, thanks, Keith." After the vehicle had driven a short distance, Zeke signaled for it to stop.
"Aren't you coming with us?" Holly turned around in confusion.
"I've arranged to meet with my lawyer to discuss the YMCA royalties. Have fun, you guys." Zeke waved with a smile.
The car stopped on the side of the street, and Zik and Tino got out and went into a restaurant called "Roy".
This restaurant is very popular in the Los Angeles music scene, specializing in American and Asian fusion cuisine, with unique flavors and an intimate atmosphere.
The store owner, Roy Silver, is no ordinary person. He was the manager of Fanny, the first all-female rock band in history, and has been deeply involved in the music industry for many years, with connections throughout the industry.
Zeke had been here several times before with TJ and Larry. Because Neil was a major shareholder in the restaurant, they were required to sign the bill here as much as possible for reimbursement of their dining expenses.
The interior is decorated in a retro and laid-back style, and it's most famous for having a private booth—which is actually just a large booth with curtains on three sides. Stepping into that booth almost automatically implies that prostitution or drug use is allowed.
Upon entering Roy's restaurant, Herbert and Allen were already waiting.
The two sat down and quickly ordered their food.
As soon as the dishes were served, Herbert got straight to the point, his expression grave: "Zick, Tino, the accounts we've been checking these past few days are a complete mess in Casablanca. I have a strong feeling they probably have another set of accounts in private, and the accounts on Wang An's computer are just a facade to fool PolyGram."
Allen added at the opportune moment: "However, this kind of operation is also common in the industry, especially for companies that have recently completed equity acquisitions and capital changes. They almost always use this method to circumvent regulations and hide profits."
"Have you found any flaws in Jacques Morali's strategy?" Zik, already starving, asked in a low voice while chewing his steak. He couldn't care less how Casablanca fooled PolyGram.
"There are plenty of minor issues, but none of them are serious or noticeable." Allen mimed swinging a baseball bat. "They're not the kind of things that can be fatal."
"Why don't we just report him to the IRS? His little company is definitely not clean in this regard," Tino suggested.
"Doing this might offend people. It's said that Jacques' company shareholders include two bosses from the 54 Club, Steve Rubel and Ian Schlager. Neil Bogart is very close to them," Allen said, pouring cold water on the idea.
Zeke put down his knife and fork, wiped his mouth, and said in a colder tone, "Allen, what advice does your law firm have? I must get this money back."
"That bastard went too far. Besides stealing my artist royalties, he also cheated me out of my 3% producer share. He didn't change a single note or write a single word on the entire song 'YMCA.' The arrangement, production, and finalization were all my original work. Why should he take my credit and profits?"
"Can you prove that this song was already a finished product before he 'participated' in it?" Allen's eyes suddenly lit up as he grasped the key point.
"Of course." Zeke nodded firmly, inspired by his trip to New York. "Before the song was officially released, the Spiders performed it live in New York many times, and at least a thousand people heard the full version live. Countless people have heard the live recording broadcast on the radio."
"That makes things easier." A glint of light flashed in Allen's eyes as he quickly organized his thoughts. "We can start collecting relevant evidence immediately to help you reclaim the producer rights that have been infringed upon."
"As for the remaining concealed or withheld royalties, we can adopt a different litigation strategy. We can argue that the original transfer agreement is invalid on the grounds of commercial fraud and coercion, and apply to the court for its complete revocation..."
"Those nightclub managers and radio DJs can all testify; I'll contact them..."
Tino, Herbert, and Allen rapidly discussed building the chain of evidence, the direction of evidence collection, and the entry point for litigation, using a lot of professional and obscure legal jargon.
Zik only half-understood most of what they said, so he decided not to delve deeper and left it to the professionals. He also packed up a steak, agreed to stay in touch with the two of them, and then got up to leave.
After taking a taxi back to the cliffside cabin, Zeke froze the moment he opened the door.
In just one afternoon, the house had been completely transformed.
Judy, dressed in a light and soft nightgown, her long hair casually tied up, looked excited and quickly stepped forward to take his hand and show him around.
Previously, the entire house was only illuminated by a cold ceiling light, making it feel empty and desolate. Now, several retro and elegant Tiffany floor lamps have been installed, their warm yellow light transforming the small house into a warm-toned space and dispelling the eerie feeling brought by the cliff.
The living room, which was originally empty, is now covered with a soft, thick, light-colored carpet. A solid wood bookshelf stands against the wall, and a portable typewriter sits on the desk, along with an ergonomic chair, creating a scholarly atmosphere.
The bookshelves were neatly stacked with hardcover world classics, film history books, and collections of classic screenplays, most of them secondhand, clearly brought from Judy's own home. A strikingly incongruous element among the pile of books was a glowing crystal ball music box that emitted glitter when it spun.
The messy rock posters left by Larry on the walls were all removed and replaced with black and white art photography and reproductions of classical oil paintings, creating an artistic atmosphere.
The bar area, which I remember as being a bit messy, is now spotless, adorned with exquisite bone china tea sets and complete coffee equipment, as clean as a showroom on the cover of Architectural Digest.
The refrigerator was also fully stocked with fresh fruit, low-fat yogurt, fine chocolate, and all kinds of drinks. However, all the refrigerator magnets were cartoon-shaped and had sparkling rhinestones on them.
Inside, in the corners, on the terrace, and on the table, green plants such as pothos and monstera were scattered about, creating a vibrant green scene. The ornamental plants from before were left with Amanda and not brought back; Jimmy and his family were happy to take care of them.
"You guys got all this done in just one afternoon?" Zeke exclaimed in amazement.
"Now this feels like a place where people can live! It's not fully furnished yet~" Judy raised her little face, full of joy and a sense of accomplishment.
The two walked through the living room and downstairs to the bedroom area.
Originally, Zeke's bedroom only contained a giant waterbed and an old flip-top desk, making it simple and desolate.
The room now features a sophisticated dressing table with a mirror, thick blackout curtains, and soft cushions lining the bedside table. The warm colors and well-organized layout give it a real sense of home.
However, Zeke stroked his chin, thinking that this was more like the result of Stacy's direction than the atmosphere that the girl who wanted "something silly in Macy's" would bring back.
"Stacey said the things I picked would turn the house into a carnival, and she stopped me from keeping them, only letting me keep a few trinkets." Judy seemed to have guessed what Zeke was thinking, and picked up an ugly-cute plush shark from the bed and patted it.
Zeke guessed that this was probably merchandise from "Jaws".
"How is it? Do you like it?" Judy looked up at him, her eyes full of anticipation.
"That's wonderful, I love it." Zeke lowered his head and gently kissed her forehead.
The two pushed open Marco's door again. The flamboyant leopard-print sofa bed was covered with a clean and elegant white linen bedspread, shedding its extravagance and becoming clean and refreshing.
"By the way, where's Marco?" Zik asked curiously.
"He and Stacy finished decorating the house and then went out, saying they were going to relax with TJ and his colleagues," Judy replied truthfully.
"Then wouldn't it just be the two of us at home?" Zike grinned mischievously; he'd been itching to get back to work these past few days.
"Hmm~" Judy nodded gently, her eyes crinkling.
Zik bent down and easily hoisted the girl onto his shoulder, striding confidently into the bedroom.
"Ah...put me down, you big bad guy!"
Judy struggled symbolically for a couple of moments, her strength weak and feeble, before obediently reaching out and tightly wrapping her arms around Zeke's neck.
In the bedroom, Judy was pinned against the edge of the dressing table by Zeke, the cold marble digging into her waist.
The thin fabric of her clothes was already crumpled and hung loosely on her arms.
She suddenly pushed herself up a little with her elbow, her eyes misty: "Wait... Zeke... you haven't closed... the curtains yet..."
"Honey, the view from here overlooks the entire valley; it's beautiful."
Zik gently brushed his nose against her burning earlobe, his voice extremely low.
"Besides, our nearest neighbors in this direction are several kilometers away, so no one can see us. There's no need for us to hide."
Judy's eyelashes fluttered; she still wanted to argue.
But Zik had already supported her legs and pulled her onto the table.
The scattered cosmetics fell to the ground with a clatter, burying all the unspoken words that followed.